of madison



i a e* @auch tartes getest ffice.

D J. POWERS, OF MADISON,` WISCONSIN.

Letters Patent No. 82,872, dated October 6, 1868; antedateol September 28, 1868'.

IMPROVBMENT vIn .HARVESTER-RAKES.

ilgt Sthtule referat tu in tigen ttttts what mth mating met mi tti time.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, DMI. POWERS, of Madison, in the county of Dane, and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reaping-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is la full, clear, and vexact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form' a part of this specification, in which-v Figures land 2, are perspectives.

Figure 3, a. side view of the sweep-lever.

Figure 4 a plan of the cam-wheel.4 n

Figure 5 a. perspective, showing the mode of operating my devices by means ofthe sweep-lever, cam-wheel, hand-lever, and inside cog-wheel; and l Figure 6 a perspective of the sweep-lever, detached.

The'nature of this invention consists in the employment of a hinged', pivoted, or yielding platform, located in the rear of the cutter-bar, in combinatiorrwith a gaveler or rake, operating substantially as herein set forth.

There arecertain other novel features embodied in this invention, the peculiarities-of which will be hereinafter fully set forth. v

'.l'o enable others skilled. in the artto make and employ my invention, I will now'describe'its4 construction and operation. f

I would at first observe, that my devices may be applied to reapers in ordinary use, a. full description of the machine shown in the drawings will thereforebe omitted, except so far as necessary to illustrate the workings of my invention. l

A represents a V-shaped frame, so boltedJor otherwise secured to the rear of the finger-bar that it will accommodate itself to any unevehnessofground.

B is a platform, hinged or pivoted also to the rear of the finger-bar.

a designates a lever, the lower portion of which is turned at right angl-es, and secured to the under side of platform B. v ,I

c represents an India-rubber or' metal spring, (I prefer rubber,) one 'end of which is attached. to a support in front, and the other. to lever a. i

It willbe observed that the pressure of this spring will draw the lever a forward, and thus keep the platform B in an inclined position, as represented in tig.V 1. This feature of the'invention will be more particularly' referred to hereafter.

O represents a iixed or stationary platform, so located uponthe frame A, that when the yielding platform B is pressed down to the same plane, there will be no intervening space betweenvthem.

D is the gaveler, pivoted to the outer end of frame A, and provided with spring by meansv of which it iS forced `4back in position-when operated, as will be presently seen.

eZ represents a wire staple'or loop, secured to frame A, and serves to prevent the gaveler Afrom rising above thc level ofthe platform, when clearing fallen grain therefrom. i

E is the frame, upon'which the drivers seat may be mounted. At the rear end of this framefis secured the projecting support e, to which `is` attached the armf.

Gr designates a wooden or metal-apron, provided with the back braces t L said braces are pivoted to the iarmf, thus allowing the apron to swing freely. l

As represented in the drawing, the apron is placed in an oblique position to the platforms, and the ends of said platforms are bevelled to a like angle.

H designates the inside cog-wheel for conveying motion to the knives.

g represents a sweep-lever, its upper. part being turned downward, so as to form a loop, (as seen in tlg. 5;) between the'sides of this loOP the pulley z' is confined. Y

I The foot oflever g is slotted, as shown in iig. 6, and rests upon the axle of the driving-wheel. Said lever is provided with three pins, n, n', n, the object of n being to engage the cog-wheel H when necessary, that of 'n' to act as a atop to the sweep-lever, andn to retain n in gear with cog-wheel H a sufficient length of time to -enable'tho gaveler to sweep'across the platform. l This feature of-the invention will be more fully understood when`the operation of the machine is given.

f p designates a circular device, permanently securedto the brace or support in which the inner end of tho large driving-wheel rests; this device, for want of a better name, I denominate ,a cam. It is circular in form,

with a flange formed around it by its rim being turned at right angles towards the driving-wheel.' O n the periphery of this rim or ange I cut two slots. It will be particularly observed that the distance between these slots must be adapted to the distance that the gaveler must travel over the platform.

Yu' represents a block provided with two pulleys ;-saidI block is secured tothe frame E.

w is.an arm attached to lever a, for the purpose of operating the sweep-lever. I

y .y is a. cord, one end being attached to-the gaveler, it is then conducted to the rear of the swinging-apron, will rest against it, then around the upperpulleyfin block u., around pulley z' in sweep-lever, then back over the block u, and thence to lever a, to whichv it issecured.

The operation of mymachine is as follows,

As the grain falls, when being cut, upon the yielding platform, said platform, by the weight ofthe grain, is presseddown; as it falls, the lever a is pressed or forced backwards, thus causing the arm w to lift the sweeplever up until pin rt engages cog-wheel l-I, and at'the same time pin n is relieved from the slot in camp tho cog-wheel, as it revolves, carries sweep-lever forward until pin u reaches the otherv slot, when immediately it drops, thus relieving pin n from the cog, and the lever, flies back toits original position-through the action of the spring at the outer end of the gaveler.

It will be seen that the action'of thergaveler and swinging-apron is similtaneous with that ofthe sweeplever, for, as the cord is tightened, the gavclcr sweeps across the platform and clears it of the fallen grain,'at the sam e instant the swinging-apron is pressed up to meet the gaveler at the end of the platform, 't ius collecting the grain into bundles, ready to. be bound by hand or machinery. Y i

I wish it\ particularly observed, that the moment the gaveler relieves the yielding platform, said platform E instantly assumes an inclined position, thus shielding, the gaveler from the fallen grain on its return home.

The size of the gavels may be regulated by the adjustment of the spring on the lever. I

It will remain optional with thel driver to operate the gavoler and swinging-,apron either by means of hand lever a, or by the means jus-t described, v 4.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combihation of a hinged, pivoted, or yielding platform, located inV the rear of the cutter-bar, 'with a gaveler or rake, operating substantially in the manner for the purpose described.

2. The combination of lever a, cam p, and sweep-lever g, operating substantially as specified.

3. The combination ofthe lever a, yieldingplatform B, and spring @,so arranged that the driver, while in his seat, may adjust the springand regulate-the size ofthe gavel, substantially iu the manner -and for the purpose set forth, n i l 4. The combination of gaveler D with swinging-apron G, when said apron and gavele'r are arranged to be operated by means of cord y and sweep-lever g, all being arranged and operated in the manner and for the purpose set forth. l A Y In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

D. J. POWERS.

Witnesses:

T. H. ALEXANDER, u EDM. F. BROWN. 

